Floor-finishing apparatus



March 1 1927.

1,619,571 J. T. GARTONv FLOOR FINISHING APPARATUS Filed June 5. 1925 nlllmllhl" Patented Mar. 1, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,619,571 PATENT OFFICE. f

JOHN THOMAS GARTON, or TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

FLOOR-FINISHING APPARATUS.

Application filed .Tune 5, 1925, Serial No. 35,222, and in Canada February 9, 1925. l

This invention relates to floor finishingber so that the waitingv tool, which when the brush is in use serves only fas a connection between the handle' and the brush,

may be disconnected and used to wax the floor before polishing'. y object is to devise apparatus of this type in which the waxing tool is also, when the latter is associated with the brush, supported in such a manner that it is out of contact with surfaces liable to collect dust and dirt and in which the wax carrying surface of the waxing tool is then `fully protected from exposure to the atmosphere.

I attain my object by forming the floor finishing tool with a solid back having a recess in its upper surface form-ing a shallow chamberwith a closed bottom, a shoulder being formed round the wall of the recess a short distance above the bottom.

A handle carrying member is adapted to fit snugly in the recessand is provided with a fiat bottom, over which is secured a waX- ing pad. The margins of the under surface of the pad rest on the shoulder so that the. pad is supported above the bottom of the recess and its wax carrying surface is completely sealed from Contact with the atmosphere by the marginal engagement with the shoulder.

The back of the handle carrying member is also recessedand the forked ends of a handle are pivoted on the wall of the recess below the level of the top of the tool back and the top of the back of the handle carrying member.

The apparatus is hereinafter more fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of the complete apparatus;

Fig. 2 a longitudinal section of the same;

Fig. 3 a side elevation of the waxing pad;

Fig. 4 a detail in cross section of the waxing pad, on a larger scale; and

Fig. a longitudinal section partly in elevation, of a modified form of polishing.

the bristles thereof carried in an ordinary brush back 2. On the back -2 is secured a weighted base 3 having a recess 4c formed in its upper surface.

5 is a handle carrying member preferably formed as a waxing pad comprising a body portion G having a felt pad 7' secured to its underside and a porous member 8 carried beneath the felt. The wax isapplied4 tothe underside of the felt pad which is treated to preventI the wax penetrating'it. kThe porous member, preferably cheese cloth, is then carried round under the wax andremovably secured by any suitable means Kto the body 6. For this purpose I show a resilient band .9, preferably formed of a coiled spring, adapted to be received in a groove 10 formed in the peripheryvof ,the body 6.. To eliminate the possibility of the member 8 becoming loose when the pad'is being used, I form sei-rationsv 16 inl the groove 10. VThe member 8 is firmly gripped between the serrations and the coiled spring 9. On the body are formed a pair of lugs 11 lfor connection with a handle 12.

`The body portion-6 of the waxing pad is adapted to'be received in the recess 4. To releasablyy lock the waxing pad in the recess Iprovide the following means. At the forward end of the base 3 is secured an angle piece formedV of yielding material, one leg of which forms a laterally directed projection 13 adapted to, resilientl'y engageA the upper surface of the .body v6. To V'the rear end of the base is pivoted a button 14 adapted to be swung into and outof en-` gagement with the upper surface .of the body 6.

To place the waxing pad in the base thel forward end of the former is slid under the projection 13 and when the rear end of the pad is lowered to engage the rear wall of the recess, the button 14 is moved into engagement with the upper surface of the pad. To remove the pad these operations are reversed.

From the description it is evident that the pad 5 and handle may be used-when it is desired to wax a floor and by connecting the pad and brush together the latter may be used to polish the floor.

Then the' brush is being used all the thrust is taken by the walls of the recess 4, the locking devices merely prevent the pad from slipping out of engagement with the recess.

Vith this apparatus one handle serves for two devices, and the base 3 also acts as a receptacle for the Waxing pad. The base 3 must be of suflicient weight to hold the brush firmly against the Hoor for polishing purposes and this weight if used for waxing purposes would have a tendency to squeezel the liquid out of-the wax. It is therefore necessary to provide a waxing pad which is much lighter in weight than the brush.

`It is desirable to provide means for maintaining the bottom of the recess 4 clean whereby a fresh porous member 8 will not bev covered with dirt before it is used on the Hoor. This is accomplished by forming' a shoulder' 15 round the wall of the recess toengage the underside of the waxing pad Vto keep it in spaced relationshipA with the bottom of the recess.

fThe button 14 is formed by turning up the opposite sides of a disk and isresiliently maintained, by means of a spring- 17.fin engagement with the body portion 6.` This spring is disposed on a screw 18, which serves as the pivot for the button.

The polishing tool 1a shown in Figc may be substituted for the brush shown in Fig. 2. This tool comprises a base 3f. having a recess 4 formed in its upper surface, a felt pad 2 and a cloth 2b. The opposite ends of the base are provided with grooves 19 formed by cutting back the ends of the base and securing plates 3b thereto. `This is done by means of bolts 20 to which `are secured the endsV of resilient bands 21.` The felt pad 2nL` engage the upper surface of the body 6.2

The other plate carries a button 14. i

The body portion 6 of the, waxing pad is recessed, and the lugs 11 are substantially parallel with and are spaced from the opposite sides of the wall of this recess. The

handle 12 is provided with a fork having its ends adapted to be received between the lugs and the walls. To avoid the provision of slots. in the `walls of Athe recesses 4 and to form clearances for the handle journals, the

prevent the latter from tipping relative tof the base 3 when the whole device is being` pushed along the floor.

What I claim is:

1. A floor finishing tool formed with af solid back having a recess in lits upper surface forming a shallowr chamber with aclosed bottom; a handle carryingmember adapted to be snugly received 1n said recess and formed with a fiat under surface; and!` means for supporting said member with its under surface spaced from the bottomof the recess. l 11j 2. A iooi' finishing tool formed with fai solid back having a recess in its upper surface forming a shallow chamber' with a closed bottom; a handle carrying member adapted to be snugly received in said recess and' formed with a flat under surface rand a shoulder formed roundl the wall ofthe recess for supportingr saidmemberwith its under surface spaced fromv the bottom of the recess and for forming a seal with the marginal parts of the said under-surface. f 3. AA floor finishing tool formedwvith a solid back having a recess in its upper sur face forming a shallow chamber with' "a closed bottom; a handle carrying member adapted to be snugly received .in said recess.` the said member also having a recess Vformed in its back; and a. forked handle having its ends pivoted on. the wall of the said recess below the level of the top of the tool back and the top of the back of the handle carry! JOHN THOMAS GARTON."

ing member. 

